Sarah Hung is a board certified Naturopathic Physician, licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. Her goal is to bring natural healing methods such as looking for the root cause, medicinal plants and herbs and utilizing food as medicine to others so they can feel empowered to heal themselves. In this interview, she discusses the importance of a whole body approach to optimal health including physical and mental well-being and why addressing the root cause is essential to healing.
Bio: Sarah Hung is a board certified Naturopathic Physician, licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. Her goal is to bring natural healing methods such as looking for the root cause, medicinal plants and herbs and utilizing food as medicine to others so they can feel empowered to heal themselves. Her tools of choice in her clinical practice include nutrition, functional laboratory testing and custom herbal formulations, and she specializes in reproductive and endocrine disorders, cardiometabolic wellness, healthy aging, as well as nutritional and herbal strategies to support brain and neurotransmitter balance. In her free time, she enjoys spending time performing music and enjoying time with family and friends. As a natural foods enthusiast, she enjoys preparing a variety of delicious and healthy meals from a variety of cultures and spending time in nature.
- Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
Hi! I’m Dr. Sarah Hung, the granddaughter of NHRI founder Elwood Richard. I’m part of the 4th generation of the NOW family and currently practice as a Naturopathic Physician, Acupuncturist and Herbalist in a private practice. There, I utilize natural methods to support mental health, digestive health, environmental health, cardiometabolic health and empowering others to lead longer and healthier lives.
- What drew you to studying naturopathic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine?
My experiences working for the Fruitful Yield stores and in natural health advocacy were some of the main driving factors for returning to school and studying natural medicine. I was exposed to books such as “Overdosed America” by John Abramson and films such as “Food Matters” which caused me to really rethink the way our medical and food systems are in the United States. I felt like I wanted to do something about everything that I was learning and be a part of something positive to help others, while at the same time satisfying my natural curiosity towards the sciences and cultures of the world.
Growing up in a family that focused on natural health was a big benefit as well. I never felt pressured by them to return for higher education but always felt encouraged and supported to pursue my dreams and not give up when the going got tough.
- What was your first introduction to Natural Health Research?
My first introduction to Natural Health Research was when NHRI was just getting started in the early 2000’s. Back then, my Grandpa had this vision of creating a website that would make natural health research accessible to all people, regardless of their educational background. I believe this came from his passion for science and research, and the importance of utilizing it in the context of natural health.
During these times, I was one of the individuals tasked with searching for research articles to put into a database that would later be shared with NHRI authors. I quickly was taught how to look for certain indicators for good vs. poor quality research, as well as some other essentials such as what is considered a good P value or Confidence Interval. I really enjoyed this work as well as working with others on the team like Mary Tevis to help contribute to this database. We also helped put together some early NHRI fundraisers such as a candle sale and a 5K at a local forest preserve, which several of my personal friends helped with.
- Do you use the Natural Health Research website in your practice? Do you recommend it to your patients?
I do reference some of the NHRI studies in some of my recommendations.
While I don’t usually direct patients to the NHRI specifically, it’s a great idea and something I would like to implement more. This is especially considering the health talks and podcasts that have been started recently. There are far too many podcasts out there that are simultaneously being used to promote or sell products, which reduces their credibility. Therefore, being able to refer to one that doesn’t have a commercial agenda is like finding a needle in a haystack, and a great tool for us practitioners.
- Can you explain what the “root cause” approach to healthcare means to you? How do you incorporate this approach into your practice and why is it so important?
A root cause approach to healthcare means looking not just at physical aspects of health, but emotional aspects of health as well. As an example, research has demonstrated that excessive stress or past trauma can play a role in cardiovascular disease and even some digestive disorders. It also involves looking for other underlying factors such as nutritional deficiencies or environmental exposures. Finally, it involves looking at the body as a whole and recognizing how hormones, digestion, nutrient absorption and our detoxification processes work together to support us.
In practice, this approach is taken very seriously. Initial appointments are often 1-2 hours in length and an assessment of health in its entirety is taken into consideration. Some patients may find it strange, for example if they are coming in for hormonal health and I am asking about their digestive health, diet or environmental exposures. Testing is also more comprehensive and can reveal many underlying health factors from gut imbalances to inflammation markers to food and environmental sensitivities. I believe this approach is so important because in our conventional medical system, we will often only focus on the symptoms a patient is experiencing and therefore can miss a lot of the bigger picture.
6. For those who already have a healthy diet and lifestyle, what can they do daily to support their overall health?
While there is much that we can learn from Blue Zones around the world regarding lifestyle and diet practices that lead to longevity, we each have our own set of genetics and predispositions. Regarding prevention, it can be helpful to know about these predispositions, while also understanding that specific choices we make via diet and lifestyle can turn on and off certain genes.
Additionally, there are many environmental factors we are exposed to such as pesticides, heavy metals and other toxicants that may not have been present during the times of our ancestors that can put additional strain on our bodies and health. Therefore, investigating some of these genetic predispositions or environmental factors can be helpful for those who are eating healthy and exercising, but are still not feeling well. Working with an integrative provider can be helpful for this.
7. Where can people learn more about your work or connect with you?
They can always visit the practice page at www.wholeheartednaturopathic.com or follow us on Instagram. We are accepting new patients and always excited to learn more about you and your goals!
